Martin Greenacre

The defence sector has been slow to embrace sustainability, but that is beginning to change, as it becomes clear climate change will shape future conflicts

The STEP initiative to boost investment in strategic technologies has suffered a blow as member states refuse to hand over fresh funding, but the proposal lacked ambition from the beginning

If FP10 is opened up to defence and dual use research, the rest of the budget must be ringfenced, the annual Science|Business conference heard on Tuesday

Brussels hopes to have the first small-scale nuclear power station in operation in the next decade, with a newly established industry alliance key to that ambition

The Parliament and Council have agreed on the Net-Zero Industry Act. The aim is to boost domestic green tech, but unlike the US which is pumping $369B into its sector, there will be no money attached to the EU act

The EU’s research partnership on semiconductors is launching three new calls with a total budget of €216M, including a joint call with South Korea

Europe is home to some of the world’s most innovative food companies creating alternative proteins, but many are choosing to launch their products first in the US or Singapore

Member states are updating roadmaps to emission reduction targets. These are heavily reliant on green hydrogen, biofuels and carbon capture and storage infrastructure, but do not detail how the necessary infrastructure will be installed, a report warns

MEPs have approved plans to loosen regulations around crop plants that are improved using gene editing, but a move to ban patenting of plants that are modified using these techniques could stand in the way of a final agreement

The prohibitive cost of computing is a big barrier for AI SMEs trying to enter the market. A new Commission proposal aims to ease the way, but questions over access, budget and an ethics requirement remain